Sydney Airport experienced significant flight disruptions on Friday morning, with at least 95 Qantas, Rex, Virgin Australia, and Jetstar flights either delayed or canceled. Passengers faced delays of up to 120 minutes, with some being deplaned and returned to the terminal by bus.
The disruptions were first noted on the flight tracking site Flightradar24 early Friday. Qantas reported over 50 delayed flights and four cancellations, while Virgin Australia had approximately 20 delays and two cancellations. Jetstar also saw 25 services delayed.
Airservices Australia, the government corporation responsible for aviation services, stated that operational restrictions led to the grounding of flights. "Airservices this morning enacted Air Traffic Flow Management measures at Sydney Airport due to operational restrictions to safely manage projected airborne and departure demands," a spokesperson told the Daily Mail. The measures have since been removed, and capacity has been restored, with no further significant delays anticipated.
The spokesperson also addressed recent commentary on air traffic controller performance, emphasizing their dedication to their safety-critical role and requesting that operational performance discussions acknowledge their professionalism and commitment to public safety.